New First Night Worcester director begins with a bang

Sunday

Nov 25, 2012 at 6:00 AMNov 26, 2012 at 11:46 AM

By Richard Duckett TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

New Year's Eve will bring in the 31st First Night Worcester celebrations — a community event that has become one of Worcester's signature happenings of the year. For Howard McGinn this will be his first First Night as executive director of the private, nonprofit organization. He knows the countdown is on.

“I'm not gonna panic. Not yet, anyway. I might in a couple of weeks,” McGinn said during an interview a week-and-a-half ago at the organization's small offices on Pleasant Street.

On board since May after succeeding Joyce R. Kressler — who had been First Night Worcester's very dedicated executive director for 14 years before deciding it was time for a change — McGinn is well aware of the challenges facing the organization. But he's evidently taking on the task with both wit and a long-term view.

For one thing, after an absence or lights-out in 2010 and 2011, a midnight fireworks display will return to illuminate the new year as an integral part of First Night Worcester's festivities, he said. And rather than the pyrotechnic display set off from the roof of the City of Worcester parking garage that was featured in the early evenings of 2010 and 2011, McGinn said the fireworks will be launched long-range from Bell Hill both in the evening around 7 p.m. (the precise time had not been set at the time of the interview) and at midnight.

People are expected to gather at City Hall plaza to watch the displays, a site where ice skating will be taking place beginning at 3 p.m. on the new City of Worcester Ice rink, and live music will be performed under a big tent. Other activities (the final schedule was still being finalized) will include educational events and a laser show at the Worcester Art Museum, a live animal/petting zoo display at Epworth United Methodist Church, and a multicultural festival at Alden Memorial hall at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Worcester native, actress and singer-songwriter Alicia Witt will make a return journey with a concert sponsored by First Night Worcester at 10 p.m. in Mechanics Hall. McGinn said the performance is a “button-plus” event, meaning that the show will have its own admission ticket ($15, $20 and VIP $35). However, McGinn believes the show is very reasonably priced. “It's a tremendous bargain at a venue like Mechanics Hall,” he said.

Meanwhile, First Night Worcester 2013 buttons, which will get you in free for every other event, have gone down in price to $7. Last year buttons were $10 through Dec. 24; $12 from Dec. 25-30; $15 at the door (children 7 and under free). The $7 buttons (or vouchers for buttons) will go on sale at Dec. 1 at locations including CVS/Pharmacy and Price Chopper Supermarkets. There are also deals available involving the buttons such as buy a ticket and get one free after showing your button at Worcester North Showcase Cinemas on Dec. 31 (for full details visit www.Firstnightworcester.org).

“We realize these are tough economic times. People are looking for value today, and we feel we are able to offer that,” McGinn said.

“My personal philosophy — I would love not to charge. I would love it to be free. We would love that to be our gift. Whether we'll get there soon I don't know. It's one of my personal goals.”

But McGinn added, “In order to do that, we have to be constantly raising funds.”

For most nonprofit arts organizations these days that is usually the rub, and First Night Worcester has been facing another kind of countdown.

McGinn's background would suggest he's aware of the realities. He is a marketing consultant and former banker who has followed his love for the arts by being involved with such projects as Worcester Windows and raising funds for the art gallery at Worcester State University.

He knows a budget, in other words. But in this case he doesn't. “We don't have one. If we had to put pen to paper it wouldn't be pretty. We're gonna continue to put on the show,” he said. “We need to raise funds and put on a good show.”

Last year, Kressler said the budget for First Night Worcester's New Year's Eve celebrations was about $300,000, compared to $350,000 the previous year.

“We have a cash flow issue,” said McGinn. “We had several years running at a loss. The reserves were essentially spent.”

However, McGinn believes “we're on our way” when it comes to restoring First Night Worcester's fortunes.

There is a new logo, and a new motto or theme — “It's a New Day at First Night.”

“It's not a theme for this event (First Night Worcester 2013),” McGinn said. “It's a new theme for going forward.”

The City of Worcester, Polar Corporation (for the fireworks) and local foundations are among the entities/groups/businesses First Night Worcester has been reaching out to.

There must be more partnerships, McGinn stated. “We know we have to have other sources of revenue or we're not going to make it … We're saying to sponsors, 'We want you as partners.' There's no doubt we've had some tough times. We're addressing it with a long term strategic plan going to people and saying, 'We want to be your partner.' ”

Among the attractions of partnering with First Night, “We have a fantastic demographic,” McGinn said of the young families that attend First Night Worcester events.

Another part of McGinn's long-term viewpoint is that “We don't want to be a one-party-a-year event,” he said. In fact, First Night Worcester does have ongoing educational and programs during the year, “But not many people know that,” McGinn said.

In part to raise its profile (and money), First Night Worcester co-sponsored the recent “This is the 60s” show at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts. In March, First Night Worcester will team up with Mechanics Hall to present the popular Young@Heart chorus.

“We will be doing that throughout the year. We want people to think of us throughout the year,” McGinn said.

McGinn acknowledged that he did have a first order of business after taking the helm of First Night Worcester. Right away it was fireworks.

“It was a financially prudent decision at the time,” he said of the dropping of the midnight fireworks display. But people wanted it back.

“I think it was the first thing I heard — 'The lights went out.' 'Why bother coming?' We knew that (bringing back the fireworks) was critical. Everyone enjoys fireworks. Who doesn't?”